Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 6 Feb 2001

Vol. 529 No. 4

Written Answers. - Employment Rights.

Jan O'Sullivan

Ceist:

52 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her attention has been drawn to newspaper reports suggesting that a Malaysian recruitment company, believed to be headed by an Irish person, was offering workers to Irish hotels and restaurants who, it was suggested, would work outside of Irish Labour law; the steps being taken to protect workers against such exploitation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3010/01]

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Mr. T. Kitt)

I am aware of the report in question. In this regard I want to make it clear that it is a fundamental tenet of my Department's approach to employment rights that the statutory rights and entitlements of all who work in Ireland will continue to be assured and enforced and that effective mechanisms by which they can vindicate their legal rights will be provided. This principle holds good in relation to all workers, irrespective of their nationality, and it lies at the heart of my Department's policy and approach in regard to the enforcement of employment rights in the workplace.

My labour inspectorate, in conducting its enforcement responsibilities across all sectors of the economy under the relevant labour legislation, operates objectively, fairly, impartially and without any differentiation whatsoever with respect to nationality.

I am alert to recent reports, including this one, concerning the treatment of some immigrant workers by a number of unscrupulous Irish employers and employment agencies. In this connection my Department is taking a number of specific initiatives as follows: possibilities for administrative co-operation with regulatory authorities in other countries are being examined as a means to control extortionate fee charging by employment agencies which facilitate the placement of foreign workers in Ireland; a fundamental review of the Employment Agency Act of 1971 is under way to determine the nature and scope of regulatory control appropriate to mod ern practices in the employment agency business; the administrative procedures for the issue of work permits are being examined so as to better protect the employment rights of the immigrant workers concerned; the labour inspectorate business plan for the current year has as a key task a specific and targeted enforcement campaign in employments hiring foreign workers as well as sectors where such workers are employed; the labour inspectorate is currently engaged in a systematic investigation of recent reports alleging abuses affecting foreign nursing and hotel-catering sector staff; relevant employers and employment agencies are being followed in this process with a view to prosecutions and it is intended that as soon as is practicable applications for work permits will be accompanied by an explanatory document setting out the essential elements of Irish employment rights legislation and protections for workers. This material will be presented in various languages.